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BJP Criticizes Tamil Nadu CM Stalin for Missing PM Modi’s Rameswaram Event
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lashed out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for his absence during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Rameswaram, where the Prime Minister inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge and launched development projects worth over ₹8,000 crore.
Chief Minister Stalin, who was in Udhagamandalam (Ooty) on the same day to inaugurate a government hospital, cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for his absence. He clarified that he had informed the Prime Minister in advance and had deputed senior ministers Thangam Thennarasu and Raja Kannappan to represent the state government at the Rameswaram function.
Despite this explanation, the BJP launched a sharp critique. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai expressed disappointment and accused Stalin of disrespecting the Prime Minister. He argued that the Chief Minister had prior knowledge of the Prime Minister’s schedule and should have made arrangements to attend the high-profile event. According to him, Stalin’s absence sent the wrong message and undermined the significance of the Prime Minister’s visit, which was aimed at the development of Tamil Nadu.
Annamalai went on to say that the Chief Minister had shirked his duty and politicized what should have been a non-partisan moment of pride and infrastructure advancement for the state. He labeled the decision to remain in Ooty on the day of the Prime Minister’s visit as a deliberate political snub.
This development has added another layer to the already strained relationship between the BJP and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu. The incident has reignited debates around political protocol, cooperation between state and central leadership, and the optics of public representation during high-level government events. As election season approaches, such confrontations are expected to become more frequent, reflecting the tense political climate in the state.
